Packaging apparatus



F. L. LL OYD.- PACKAGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 20,1918.

1,417,536. aw ted May 30,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. L. LLOYD-. PACIKAGING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED IULY 20,1918.

Patenfd May30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

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FRANK L. LLoYnor BALTIMORE, M RYLAND, AssmNoa TO we CROWN cons AND SEAL COMPANY or BALTIMORE CITY, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND,

PACKAGING rrARATUs.

PatentedMay so, .1922.

Applicationfiled July 20,-1918. Serial No. 245,796. I

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. LLOYD, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packaging Apparatus, fully described and representedin the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings, forming a 1 Bottle dials forsuch machines have been heretofore devised having provision whereby the pockets may receive bottles of different diameters. But they are adaptable effectively only to bottles substantially standard in shape and varying'in size only within restrictedlimits. f

- It has been found that bottles of an unusual shape,'for example, the so-calledtenpin bottle, are notheld as firmly and steadily as is desirable, when placed in the dial normally used for straight sided bottles.

This is'especially so in machines ofthe type in which, to control certain mechanism by the presence of a bottle, the bottles are moved gainst a wiper in taking packaging position.

It isan object of the presentinvention to provide bottle feeding apparatus such that a standard dial may be usedeffectively with bottles of a wide variety of shape and'sizes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of the typementioned having a wiping member located in the path ,of the bottles themselves and capable of permitting relative movement of the parts durlng compensation.

The following spec fication describes, and

the accompanying drawings illustrate packaging apparatus constructed in accordance wlth the invention, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without tion ofFig. 3 in a different departing from theinvention, the form here- ;in disclosed beinga preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

r g; 11s a horizontal sectional viewtaken above the feeding :dial of packaging apparattle-embodying theinven tion; i i

Fig. 2 is a view of the same in side elevation; i

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken 11 the line 33 of Fig. '1 looking in the direction of'the arrow h 5 Fig. 4L. 's a view partly in vertical'section and partly in side elevation, showing a porparts;

F 5 is a detail view showing in vertical sect on a portion of the feeding dial;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing in side elevatlon one of theadapter cupsremoved; and "IF 1g. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7ofFig.l.' l 1 Referring to the drawings, a/feeding dial .10 is mounted on a shaft 11 which is rotated in any suitablemanner. The dialis provid-" ed with a plurality of spaced pockets 12 each designed to hold a bottle. Beneath thedial is a stationary table 13 which serves directly or indirectlyas a support for the bottles in the dial; 1} 1 The invention includes an interchangeable adapter cup removably insertable in the dial pockets and having a body portion for re cciving' a bottle, the body portion in the best embodiments of the invention being" shaped in accordance withthe shape of: thebottle. As here shown as an example, an adapter cup ltis provided'having a body portion15 shaped, in accordance with a so-calledten-pin bottle 16. "It will'be seen from Fig.3 thatoo thebottle fits into the held in place. 7

In order that the adapter cup may be firmly held in the dial pocket and be capable of vertical movement therein, it is provided with a portion having a slidingfit within thev wall of the pocket. Although capable of variousv constructions, as here illustrated, the

cup 'and is thus firmly "dial pockets are formed with a plurality of vertical grooves 17 and the adapter cup'is'proposition of the 65 i vided with complementary tongues 18. These tongues are designed to fit in the grooves with a sliding fit. lVith this construction the adapter cups are readily inserted and removed, are firmly held in place, and are capable of vertical movement during the operation of the packaging mechanism as hereinafter referred to.

In order that the dial may be used with unusually short bottles the invention includes in connection with the adapter cup, an elevating portion arranged to rest on the supporting table and elevate the body portion the desired distance above the table. As here shown as an example, formed as part of the adapter cup is an elevating portion in the form of a skirt 19,- the bottom of which rests on the supporting table.

With the construction above described, packaging machines having what may be termed a standard dial may bevused with bottles of various shapes and sizes with no change except in the set of adapter cups. Various sets of cups may be provided having body portions to suit the various bottle shapes and elevating portions to suit the various heights. WVhen the bottles are changed it is only necessary to slip out one set of adapter cups and insert another set.

During the capping operation of a packaging mechanism there is a relative movement of the capping head and bottle and one or the other is caused to yield to compensate for variations in bottle heights. As here illustrated, the bottle support is designed to yield downwardly to effect this compensatlon. table is cut away below the packaging mechanism to accommodate a supporting cylinder or plunger 21. This plunger, as appears in Fig. 3, is in its normal position, flush with the stationary table so that the bottles or their adapter on s readily slide from one to the other as t ey are fed by the dial. This plunger is slidable in a braoket22 and forms part of a compensatingmechanism designed to yieldin case the capping pressure on the bottle exceeds a given amount. Such a device is known in the art and-no further description is here a necessary.

which-is normally in an inoperative posi tion and is rotated into operative position by mechanism actuated by a bottle moving into filling position. The present drawings illustrate such a sleeve 23. For the manner in which this sleeve operates the liquid delivery mechanism, reference may be had to Letsch Patent No. 1,227 ,807 The sleeve may be given angular movement by a lever To this end, the stationary actuated by a wiper located in the path of the bottles. As here shown, pivoted on a stud 24: mounted on a bracket 25, carried by the plunger 21, is a bent lever 26 of the form shown more particularly in Fig. 1. The lever carries a rack 27 meshing with teeth 28 formed on the sleeve 23. It will be seen that movement of the lever rotates the sleeve, the return movement thereof being efleoted by a spring 29.

The lever 26 is actuated by the displacement of a wiper which is located in the path of the bottles. Since the wiper must be above the dial rim in order to engage the bottles, and since the plunger carrying the bracket 25 has a downward vertical movement with respect to thedial, means is pro- 7 vided for so connecting the wiper with the lever that it is movable both horizontally and vertically,horizontally to actuate the lever, and vertically to accommodate the relative movement of theparts. Although capable of various constructions, as here shown, secured to the lever is an. upright connecting member 30. Pivoted on a pin 31, carried by this member 30 so as to swing in a vertical plane, is an angular wiper 32 located above the dial rim inthe path of the bottles. lVhen a bottle moves intopackaging position the wiper is displaced'horizontally from the dotted to the full line position of Fig. 1, and through the connecting member 30 its displacement actuates the lever 26 to rotate the sleeve 23. When compensation takes place and the cylinder 21 is lowered, the wiper by its engagement with the dial rim is swung upwardly as shown in Fig. l. Upon the return of the plunger to normal position the wiper drops back by its own weight, movement in this direction being limited by enga ement of the wiper foot 33 with a stop shoulder 34 on the member 30.

To prevent breakage, should there be any obstruction to the movement of thesleeve, the rack 27 is formed-with a T-head 35 which takes into a guiding recess in the lever, the parts being held together by a spring bolt 36, as shown in Fig. 7. As the lever swings, should there be any obstruction to the movement of the sleeve, the spring bolt 36 will be forced back, allowing the lever to move without moving the rack.

Means is provided for steadying and for guiding the adapter cup in its vertical movements. side edge of each pocket has secured thereto a downward extending plate 38 which is flush with the pocket wall and forms in effect a continuation thereof at the point where the dial is narrow. This plate guides As shown, the dial rim at the outthe adapter cup in its downward movement A and prevents it from catching on the rim as it moves upwardly.

bottle is used in its comprehensive sensefgtuates said lever,.and a horizontalpivot for to include any suitable form of container. is?

What is claimed is:

1, In a packaging apparatus, a bottle feed ing dial having a pocket therein with a vertical wall, a support located beneath said dial, and an adapter cup for holding a bottle, having a dish-shaped bottle receiving portion, an elevating standard, and vertical members on said dish shaped portion for cooperation with the wall of said pocket.

2. In a packaging apparatus, a bottle feeding dial having a pocket therein, a bottle support having a compensating vertical movement with respect to said dial, an operating lever, a wiper located in the path of the feeding bottles and carried by said support, said wiper being mounted to move horizontally upon engagement with a bottle, means whereby said movement of the wiper acsaid wiper, whereby the wiper may swing 'in a vertical plane upon thecompensating movement of the bottle support. v 3. In packaging apparatus, a feeding dial having a bottle receiving pocket therein, a

support having vertical movement with repivotally mounted in said connecting mem ber.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set I hand, in the presence of two subscribing y witnesses. Y

FRANK L; LLOYD.

Witnesses WM. G. VANNER, GEORGE F. LANG. 

